Professor Stephen Toope, Cambridge’s vice-chancellor, said the aim was to transform Stoke-on-Trent’s historically low take-up of higher education and encourage top-grade students to apply to leading universities.

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He added: “In the last five years, we’ve had 63 students apply to us from Stoke-on-Trent. Eight of them were admitted. We’ve just written to a few more today to offer them places.

“But it’s clearly not enough. There are just not enough of them applying.”

Professor Stephen Toope, vice-chancellor of the University of Cambridge, with student Jordan Heath

Professor Toope believes it’s due to a mix of issues, including achievements at school, the lack of family role models who have been to university and worries that they will struggle to ‘fit in’. “We hope to demystify the Cambridge experience for students,” he added.

Although the young people taking part in HE+ won’t be offered preferential places at university, the activities will help them stand out on personal statements and at interviews.

Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College is hosting the hub, with many of the sessions run by staff from Cambridge University’s Sidney Sussex College. The Potteries is one of 18 locations picked to join the programme.

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Jordan Heath took his A-levels at the Stoke-based college and is now in his second year of an economics degree at Cambridge. The 19-year-old, from Meir Park, hopes HE+ will encourage more people from the Potteries to follow his lead.

He said: “If you don’t know someone who’s going there, you think you’ve got no chance. When I did a lot better than expected in my first year at college, I thought I might have a chance of getting in. I also went on a residential visit to Cambridge, which helped.”

Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College student Mitch Birkin, who is planning to go on to Cambridge

For current sixth form college student Mitch Birkin, Cambridge has been a long-held dream. He’s just received a conditional offer to take a degree in Asian and Middle Eastern studies there next year.

The 18-year-old, from Cellarhead, said: “No one in my family has gone to university. My dad’s a painter and decorator and my mum is in social care and mental health. They’re immensely proud of me for applying.”

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Mitch started to think about university after developing a love of foreign languages.

Biddulph High student Ellie Bales signed up to HE+ after being nominated by one of her teachers. The 17-year-old, who lives in Biddulph, said: “I want to learn more about maths through it. At the moment, I don’t know very much about university life, so I’m looking forward to finding out more.”